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Tottenham’s aerial prowess under Thomas Frank brought Everton plummeting back to earth at Hill Dickinson Stadium. Spurs inflicted Everton’s first defeat at their new home courtesy of three headed goals, two from the outstanding Micky van de Ven, to rise to third in the Premier League and maintain their dominant form on the road.
The disconnect at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium stands in stark contrast to the ruthless efficiency of Frank’s team away from home. Van de Ven converted two corners before substitute Pape Matar Sarr banished any prospect of an Everton recovery with another close-range header in the 89th minute. Given the glaring absence of a quality striker in David Moyes’ squad, the prospect of an Everton comeback was always remote despite the probings of Iliman Ndiaye, James Garner, Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall and Jack Grealish. It is now 13 points from a possible 15 for Frank’s side on their travels this season.
The contest was shaped by corners and Van de Ven’s domineering presence at both ends of the pitch. Everton matched Spurs for enterprising approach work but had no answer to the quality of the visitors’ set-piece delivery or their captain’s aerial strength. The boos that greeted the half-time whistle were aimed squarely at referee Craig Pawson, however.
Grealish almost started where he left off last time out at Hill Dickinson Stadium by putting Everton ahead from close range. The superb Ndiaye scorched past Djed Spence to set up Beto but, after the hapless centre-forward failed to connect, Grealish arrived at the back post and saw a goal-bound drive blocked in front of the line by Pedro Porro. Dewsbury-Hall sliced the loose ball high and wide.
Rodrigo Bentancur and Xavi Simons both troubled the Everton defence as an open, flowing game allowed the respective midfields to impress. But it was a central defender who took centre stage. From a Mohammed Kudus corner swept high to the back post, Bentancur directed the ball back across goal with his shoulder for Van de Ven to nod in from a yard out.
It was the first goal Everton have conceded from a set piece all season and Spurs’ first attempt on target. It became two set-piece goals conceded in first-half stoppage time when the visitors’ accuracy under Frank punished Moyes’ team again. Porro was the provider, this time from the left with a brilliant, vicious corner that demanded a finish. Van de Ven applied it once the inswinging delivery sailed over James Tarkowski and before Jordan Pickford’s fists could connect. The defender’s two first-half headers must have come from a combined distance of two yards out.
Spurs’ second arrived during seven minutes of time added on mainly for the decision to disallow a towering header by Jake O’Brien moments after Van de Ven’s opener. The Everton defender thought he had equalised from another fine corner, taken by Dewsbury-Hall, and a header that gave Guglielmo Vicario no chance in the Spurs’ goal. Everton celebrations were diluted when the video assistant referee advised Pawson to inspect the pitch-side monitor.
They were spoiled completely when the match official deemed that Ndiaye and Grealish were both offside and interfering with Vicario. The pair were clearly in an offside position when O’Brien connected but the extent to which they interfered with the goalkeeper was highly debatable. Pawson’s on-field explanation was inaudible amid the jeers that drowned him out.
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Everton responded well to the blows, particularly after the restart. Beto, who failed to read an inviting cross across the face of goal from Ndiaye in the first half, almost atoned with an overhead kick from the Senegal international’s cross. Vicario produced an excellent reflex save to deny the No 9. Spurs’ commitment to a clean sheet was exemplified by João Palhinha throwing himself in the way of Idrissa Gueye’s volley late on. Richarlison should have extended the visitors’ lead when a long ball caught out Tarkowski and left him through on goal, but Pickford spread himself well to thwart the former Everton striker.
Richarlison was heavily involved in Spurs’ third, however, cushioning a header from another accurate Porro centre back across goal for Sarr to head beyond Pickford.
